Drill steel guide



Dec.26, 1944. c. F. QSGOOD 2,365,686

DRILL STEEL GUIDE Filed Feb. 24, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 wd-Mmwry.

Dec. 26, 1944. c. F. OSGOOD 2,365,686

DRILL STEEL GUIDE Filed Feb. 24, 1942 -2 Sheets-Sheet? Patented Dec. 26, 1944 DRILL STEEL GUIDE Charles F. Osgood, Claremont, N. H., assignor to Sullivan Machinery Company, a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 24, 1942, Serial No. 432,151

11 Claims. (Cl. 255 51) This invention relates to rock drills, and more particularly to improvements in a drill steel guide especially designed for use with a mounted rock drill of the drifter type.

In mounted drifter hammer motor is guided for movement along the guidewaysof a guide shell, and a guide is usually provided at the forward end of the guide shell for centering the drill steel during spotting of a drill hole. Such drill steel guides are usually automatically released from guiding relation with the drill steel as the hammer motor is fed forwardly along the shell guideways, and devicesof various kinds have been devised to effect such automatic release. In such guides there are frequently provided a pair of pivoted guide arms which engage the drill steel; and these guide arms, when they are automatically swung apart into non-guiding position as the hammer motor approaches the guide, project laterally a substan tial distance beyond thesides of the guide shell to enable the hammer motor to move forwardly between the guide arms. Such lateral projection of the guide arms beyond the'sidesof the guide shell is found to be undesirable particularly in the restricted spaces of an underground mine. In certain other types of guides, pivoted guide arms are not employed, but while lateral compactness was obtained the desired guiding of the drill steel was lacking.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved drill steel guide which largely overcomes the disadvantages of certain previous guides. Another object is to provide an improved drill steel guidehaving novelmounting means for the relatively movable guiding elements there of whereby the latter,when in their non-guiding position, are. maintained within the lateral limits of the guide shell. Still another object is to provide an improved drill steel guide embodying a pair of cooperating guide arms which are pivotally mounted to swing concurrently laterally and longitudinally about rectangularly related axes into and out of guiding relation with a drill steel. A'further object is to provide an improved drillsteel guide having novel cam means for holding the guide arms in guiding relation with the drill steel and so constructed that there will be movement of the guide arms out of guiding relation with the drill steel upon engagement thereof by the drill hammer motor as the latter is fed forwardly along the shell guideways. Yet another object is to provide a noveldrill steel guide having improved means for holding the guide in guiding relation with the drill steel type rock drills, the drill and which is automatically released by the hammer motor as the latter is fed forwardly along the shell guideways. A still further object is to provide an improved drill steel guide having a novel arrangement and combination of parts. How these and other objects are accomplished and the advantageous features of the invention, will be best understood from the following detailed description wherein preferred and modifled embodiments are set forth, reference for the purpose being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a rock drill with which a preferred illustrative embodiment of the improved drill steel guide is associated. I I

' Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the rock drill and steel guide shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view similar to Fig. 2, showing the guide arms in their laterally re leased position. I

Fig. 4 is a view'similar to Fig. l, with the guide in its non-guiding position.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. '7 .is a view in longitudinal vertical section taken substantially on line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side eelvational view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a modified embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 9 is-a front end elevational view of the rock drill'and steel guide shown in Fig. 8, with parts shown in vertical section.

Fig. 10 is an end elevational view similar to Fig. 9, showing the guide arms in their laterally released position.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 8, showing the guide in its non-guiding position.

Fig. 12 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line I2-l2 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 13 is a view in longitudinal vertical section taken substantially on line I 3-! 3 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 14 is a detail vertical sectional view taken substantially on line |4-'-l l of Fig. 9.

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig.'14=, showing the cam lever in a different position.

In both illustrative embodiments of the invention, the improved drill steel guide is shown associated with" a conventional hammer rock drill of the mounted drifter type. It will be evident, however, that if desired the improved drill steel guide maybe associated With drills of other typ sguides 6, 6 slidingly received within parallel lon-i' gitudinal guideways l, l of the guide shell. The hammer motor may be fed "alongtheshell guideways in any conventional manner. Since'the rock drill disclosed is of a conventional design and is well known to those skilled in"the;.art,' further.

description and illustration thereof are. herein unnecessary.

. Inathepreferred embodiment. 10f the'finyention shown .in' Figs: rm .7, inclusive, :the' improved drill steel guide;*generallydesignated 8,- compri-ses a bracket 9- attached 1by -bol-ts =l IL- whichiherein maybe the .usual shells'side -.-bolts. to"the front endof the guide shell. This.brackethasaforwardlywlocated lug I provided with. a transverse bore-l2 .through-'- which aipivot boltz 13 passes.

' Pivotally-mountedr-on the-.projecting'ends. of the pivot bolt are'larmsupports-M, Miiomwhich-in turn are pivotallymounted on parallel-pivot bolts IS a pair of guide arms l6, IS. The axes-ofthe pivot bolts l 5,- .l are arranged-at-righttangles to the pivot bolt AS -so that the 'guideiiar-ms-may swing vinto andout of: guiding relation with the drill steel about rectangularly relatedrpivotal axes. These guide .arms'have guiding portions I1 appropriately shaped-ctmengage 'the-lbodyof the drillsteel: 4 to .holdtthelatter centered: during fspo-ttinghot a hole in .the: manner" welt known to those skilled in the art. The guidearmshave depending cam-engaging-projections 1.8, :1 8-near their pivots, and the inner-adjacent sides of these projections are engageable with outer :camsurfaces IQ of a cam 20, theilatteruherein preferably formed integral with thebracket lug IV I Engagement of the projections vlB-xwiththesurfaces of thecameffects holding of the guide arms-in" their steel guiding position showm in-Figi 2* andlimits lateral swinging .movementbf the; guide arms about athenpivot-bolts :15 asllthe guide -arms are swung apart out of guidingz:relation-'-'with.-the drill steel; The.ipivoted .arm.-supports l4 have depending lugs 2 tengageable at 1' 2*with: the bottom of the bracket.:- 9..-.for.limiting-downward swinging of ..-the .arm; supports and guide arms about the pivot-bolt. ..Arranged-withinsuitable recesses in the arm supports andsurrounding the pivot bolts 15 are coiled-torsionsprings 23 which act automatically: to swing apart.v the guide arms about theapivot-bolts rl5..-into;.-their laterally 31'6- leased position. =.As the, guide: rarmsiare-swung about thepivotboltdiin a forward-sand downward. direction,- the. cam surfaces. ipermit. the torsionsprings toswing the'guide arms a. slight :distance apart suflicient-to .clear :the zsidesflof. the drill steel body, and "as the iguidearms swing about the pivot boltll3-fltheyuconourrently swing about the pivot bolts-l.5... .Arrangedin longitudinal bores 24 formed.-.in.laterallugs. .25. integral with the bracket 9. .are spring-pressed plungers .26, and these plungersare engageablawith spaceddetents .21 -on the. arm .supp orts .l 4 i for. holding. the guide in both itsguiding .and non-guiding positions. If desired, coiled torsion springs may-Joe forwardly and downwardly a slight distance they are concurrentlwswung apart,:so'that they clear the sides of the body of the drill steel; and as .the hammer motor continues to move forwardly along the shell guideways the guide arms are fur- "rtheram'oved forwardly and downwardly into their nomguiding position shown in Fig. 4, out of the *peithzofmovement of the hammer motor, so that thelatter'may' belied forwardly past the guide. It is accordingly evident that the cam surfaces :.of;the;camz are :sosformed as to result in relative swinging movement of the guide arms about the pivot bolts I5 into and out of guiding relation with the drill. steak-asv ithej. .guidezarms .:are {C011- currently swungabout .the .axis-ofzthel pivot: bolt 13.

In the operation of. .'this -embodiment;:of;..the improved drill steel guide, when 1 it. .is: .desiredto spot-. a drill. hole,-.the guide. arms .-I 5;:1 6 may; .be swung upwardly. anderearwardly about thetransverse .pivot bolt .1 3\into the positionnindicated' in dotted. lines in-Eig. .1, andupon continued ,upward and rearward swinging movement oflthez-guide arms toward the full.lineipositionshownin 35%..1, the-cam surfaces is .of the cam 20rengaging the arm, projections I8. effect concurrent. swinging movementofthe arms about theaxes ofthe pivot bolts .l 5 inwardly into. guiding relation with :the drillsteel, as=shovvn in Fig, 2. As the guiderarms are swung .intoguiding relation withthedrill steel, the arm projections I 8 ,engage' parallel surfaces. onthe .cam, so that-ltheaguidearms are locked by the cam against-lateralrelease. its the hammermotor is fed forwardly along 131162811811 guideways, the. guide. armsser-ver to-reenter the drill. steehand when the front chucka-housing- 5 engagesthe rearwardsurfaces of the guide arms, the-latter. are shoved forwardlyandz downwardly and concurrently moved. apart into their 513.1731- ally released position as. shown in Fig. 1. Asathe guide arms swing .f-orwardly and. downwardly from the dotted -.line position. shownin-Figcv 1 to the non-guiding position-shown in-Fig'. 4. the arm projections .18; engage parallel surfaceson the cam, so .that furthenoutward swinging of the. arms. about their pivots "isprevented. by the cam and when the guide-: assumes r the .position shown in Fig. .4,..doWnward-movement Ofrthe-guide arms limited by en agement of :the support lugs .2! with the bottom. of..the bracket 9. :As the guide arms swing forwardly. and downwardly from .the-full.linapcsitionshown:in Fig. 1 .to the dotted linepositiomshown .in. that ,figure, the coiledtorsion springs 23-. actcautomatically .to swing.- the guide arms apart. into; their. laterally released-position shown, in Fig.5 3 sufficiently .to clear the sidesoftheisteeLbody. :By. the-{provision .of theseparate and :distinct .piuota-L mountings fortheguide-arms, thalatter-mayibe individually placed in guiding relationrwith the drill steel. as, for.instance,.'during spotting of. a drill hole-.on an inclined' working. faoe when but a single 'arm'will suffice i-to'prevent lateral deflection ofthe .drill. steel.

In the modified-embodiment 0t tthe invention shownrin- Eigs. 8 ;to.;-15,.-inc lusive,=: asbracketfill, attached .tothefrontendiofthe guideshell 2,;l1as forwardly projecting, laterally spaeedlugs 3I,"3l

provided with alined openings through which a transverse pivot bolt 32 passes. Pivotally mounted on this pivot bolt at the inner sides of the lugs are arm supports 33, 33 on which in turn are pivotally mounted on parallel pivot bolts 34, 34 a pair of guide arms 35, 35. The axes of the pivot bolts 34, 34 are arranged at right angles to the pivot bolts 32, so that the guide arms may swing into and out of guiding relation with the drill steel about ,rectanguIarly related pivotal axes. As in the preferred embodiment of the invention above described, these guide arms have guiding portions 36 appropriatelyshaped to en- .gage the body of the drill steel to hold the latter centered during spotting of a hole. Also pivotally mounted on the transverse bolt 32 and arranged between the arm support 33 is a hub 31 having formed thereon a cam 38. Projecting upwardly from the cam hub is a lever 39 having a portion 40 adapted to be engaged by the front end of the chuck housing of the drill hammer motor, in a manner to be later explained. Arranged within recesses in the arm supports 33 are coiled torsion springs 4|, similar to the torsion springs 23 above described in the preferred embodiment of the invention, and these torsion springs likewise act automatically to swing apart the guide arms about the axes of the pivot'bolt's 34 into their laterally released position. The cams 38 has cam surfaces 42 which are engaged by cam projections 43 formed on the guide arms near their pivots, and engagement of-these cam projections with the cam surfaces effects holding of the guide arms in guiding position and limits outward lateral swinging movement of the guide arms. Spring-pressed plungers 44, similar to the plungers 26 of the preferred embodiment of the invention, serve to hold the guide in both its guiding and non-guiding positions. As the cam lever 39 is swung forwardly,

the cam hub 31 is rotated, causing the cam surfaces 42, which engage the arm projections 43, to permit swinging of the guide arms apart a slight distance sufficient to clear the sides of the drill steel body, and upon continuedforward swinging movement of the cam lever, surfaces 45 on the cam hub 31 abut surfaces 46 on the arm supports 33, and when the surfaces 45 and 46. are in abutting engagement, the cam lever, the cam and the arm supports swing in unison forwardly and downwardly about the axis of the pivot bolt 32. As the cam is rotated in a forward direction, the coiled torsion springs 4| automatically swing apart the guide arms about their parallel pivots into their laterally released position shown in Fig. 10. When the guide arms are in their nonguiding position shown in Fig. 11, they are disposed out of the path of movement of the hammer motor, so that the latter may be fed forwardly along the shell guideways past the guide. The pivoted arm supports 33 have depending lugs 41 engageable with the bottom of the bracket 30 for limiting downward swinging movement of the guide about the pivot bolt 32.

In the operation of this embodiment of the invention, when the hammer motor is fed forwardly along the shell guideways, the front chuck housing 5 engages the portion of the cam lever, and upon continued forward movement of the hammer motor'the cam lever is swung forwardly about the axis of the pivot bolt 32, resulting in the swinging of the guide arms apart into their laterally released position shown in Fig. 10, so that the guiding portions thereof just clear the sides'of the drill steel body. As the cam is rotated, the torsion springs 4| act automatically to swing the guide arms apart into their laterally released position. Upon continued forward and downward swinging movement of the cam lever. as the hammer motor continues to move forwardly along the shell guideways, the surfaces on the cam hub engage the arm support surfaces 46, and thereafter the cam, arm supports and guide arms swing forwardly and downwardly about the pivot bolt 32 into their non-guiding position shown in Fig. 11 out of the path of movement of the hammer motor. Likewise, as in the preferred form of the invention above described, by the provision of the separate arm mountings, the guide arms may be placed either separately or simultaneously in guiding relation with the drill steel.

It will be evident that in both embodiments of the invention the cam surfaces of the cam may be shaped to obtain any desired movement of the guide arms, and in the modified embodiment the cam may be so arranged and constructed as to bring about concurrent swinging of the guide arms laterally and longitudinally. Also, as in the preferred embodiment, the modified embodiment may have torsion springs encircling the pivot bolt 32 to effect automatic forward and downward swinging movement of the arms upon release of the latter from the drill steel. I

As a result of this invention it will be noted that an improved drill steel guide is provided which is extremely rugged and compact in construction and-simple in design. It will further be evident that by the provision of the improved pivotal mounting structure for the guide arms, enabling the latter to swing about rectangularly related pivotal axes in the manner disclosed, excessive lateral projection of the guide arms beyond the sides of the guide shell is eliminated. Furthermore, by the provision of the novel cam arrangement, the guide may be quickly thrown .into non-guiding position when the hammer motor engages the guide. Also in the modification as the forward end of the drill hammer motor approaches the guide, the cam lever effects automatic release of the guide, thereby eliminating the possibility of jamming of the parts by inadvertent engagement of the hammer motor with the guide. Other uses and advantages of the invention will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there are in this application specifically described two embodiments which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that these embodiments of the same are shown for purposes of illustration and that theinvention may be further modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to' secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a drill steel guide, a pair of cooperating, relatively movable guide elements adapted to engage a drill steel, and means for pivotally mounting said guide elements to swing concurrently about parallel axes and an axis at right angles to said parallel axes, and means including cam means for effecting controlled swinging movement of said guide elements laterally about said parallel axes away from the drill steel as said guide elements are concurrently swung forwardly about said right angle axis.

2. In a drill steel guide, cooperating, relatively movable guide elements adapted to engage a drill steel, means including cam means associated with said guide elements for effecting controlled movement of said'guide elementsout ofguiding relation with the drill steel, said guide elements and said cam means being relatively movable,

' and means for effecting movement of said guide elements forwardly and downwardly when said guide elements have moved relative to the drill steel sufficiently to clear the sides of the drill steel. 3. In a drill steel guide, cooperating, relatively movable guide elements adapted to engage a drill steel, and means including cam means associated with said guide elements for effecting controlled movement of saidguide elements out of guiding relation with the drill steel, said guide elements and said cam means being relatively movable, and means for effecting movement of said guide elements forwardly and downwardly when said guide elements have moved relative to the drill steel sufficiently to clear the sides of the drill steel, said guide elements being movable away from the drill steel out of guiding relation with the latter and forwardly and downwardly into the non-guiding position of the guide.

4. In a drill steel guide, a pair of cooperating, relatively movable guide elements-adapted to engage a drill steel, and means including cam means movable relative to said guide elements for effecting controlled movement of the latter out of guiding relation with the drill steel, and

means for mounting said guide elements and said cam means to move forwardly and downwardly when said guide elements are out of steel guiding relation.

5. In a drill steel guide, a pair of cooperating, relatively movable guide arms adapted to engage a drill steel, pivotal mounting means for said arms providing parallel pivots for the latter, said mounting means including a pivot for said arms disposed at right angles to said arm pivot axes, and means for effecting swinging movement of said arms about said parallel pivots and said right angle pivot into and out of steel guiding position, said latter means embodying cam means controlling swinging movement of said arms about said pivots.

6. In a drill steel guide, a pair of cooperating, relatively movable guide arms adapted to engage a drill steel, pivotal mounting means for said arms providing parallel pivots for the latter, said mounting means including a pivot for said arms disposed at right angles to said arm pivot axes, means for effecting swinging movement of said arms about said parallel pivots and said right angle pivot into and out of steel guiding position, said latter means embodying cam means controlling swinging movement of said arms about said pivots, and means for constantly urging said arms to swing apart about said parallel axes, said cam means preventing the arms from swinging apart when said arms are in steel guiding position.

7. In a drill steel guide, a pair of cooperating relatively movable guide elements adapted to engage a drill steel, and means for pivotally mounting said guide' elements to swing about rectangularly related axes, certain of said axes being disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis 8. In a drill steel guide, a pair of cooperating I relatively movable guide elements adapted to en-' gage a drill steel, means for pivotally mounting said guide elements to swing each about rectangularly related axes, said guide elements being swingable about certain of said axes laterallyaway from the drill steel and forwardly about the othersof said axes out of guiding relation with the drill steel, means engaging said guide elements for necessitating lateral swing of said guide elements to be accompanied by forward swing thereof, means for holding said guide elements in their steel guiding position, and means engaging said guide elements for automatically swinging said guide elements laterally about said certain pivotal axes when said holding means is released.

9. In a drill steel guide, a pair of cooperating relatively movable guide arms adapted to engage a drill steel, said arms being swingable about pivots arranged with their axes parallel, a support swingable about a transverse axis at right angles to said arm pivot axes, said arm pivots being mounted on said swingable support, means associated with said guide arms for causing said arms to swing laterally about said parallel pivotal axes only when said support swings about said transverse axis to effect release of said guide arms from the drill steel, and means coaxial with said parallel pivotal axesand engaging said guide arms for automatically effecting swinging of said arms about said parallel pivotal axes as said support swings about said transverse axis.

10. In a drill steel guide, a pair of cooperating relatively movable guide elements adapted to engage a drill steel, means for pivotally mounting said guide elements each to swing about rectangularly related axes, said guide elements being swingable about certain of said axes laterally away from the drill steel and forwardly about the others of said axes out of guiding relation with the steel, and embodying means engaging said guide elements for necessitating lateral swing of said guide elements to be accompanied by forward swing thereof, and means for locking said guide elements in their steel guiding position. v

11. In a drill steel guide, cooperating relatively movable guide elements adapted to engage a drill steel, means for mounting said guide elements each to swing about rectangularly related axes, said guide elements being swingable about said axes into and out of guiding relation with the drill steel, and means associated with said guide elements for necessitating swinging of said guide elements about certain of said axes to be accompanied by swinging of said guideelements about said other axes.

CHARLES F. OSGOOD 

